Top News:
Ken Doctor / Nieman Lab:
Analysis of LA Times deal: factors that led to sale now, speculation on Soon-Shiong 's future strategy, a look at price, and a theory on a future Gannett role — Tronc is getting a big premium for its flagship asset, and the Times is getting a return to private, local ownership.
RELATED:
Meg James / Los Angeles Times:
Tronc forms new company, Tribune Interactive, with Ross Levinsohn as its CEO and ex-LA Times EIC Lewis D'Vorkin as its chief content officer — Biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong has agreed to purchase the Los Angeles Times from its parent company Tronc, restoring local ownership …
Discussion:
@mattdpearce, The Wrap, LA Observed, New York Times, @mbrauchli, Ad Age, News, East Bay Express, The Daily Caller, @priyakkumar, KTLA, @vinncent, @juliewestfall, @jenyamato, @andrewmseaman, @samocole, @davidfolkenflik, @nycjim, Chicago Business, Hollywood Reporter, L.A. Times Guild and The Week
Supantha Mukherjee / Reuters:
Tronc has confirmed it is selling the Los Angeles Times and a number of other newspapers to billionaire biotech investor Patrick Soon-Shiong for $500M in cash — (Reuters) - Tronc Inc (TRNC.O) said on Wednesday it would sell some newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune …
Claire Atkinson / NBC News:
Newsweek Media Group's head of sales resigns, and a source says the company has lost “hundreds of thousands” in ad commitments since reports it bought traffic — The Newsweek Media Group is reeling. — Ed Hannigan, the company's head of sales, resigned on Tuesday.
Discussion:
@jaysunsilver, @melinadelkic, @journo_christal, @linleyann, @jasonabbruzzese, @sulliview, @rachelcbrody, @claireatki and Talking Biz News
Hollywood Reporter:
Disney is developing a number of Star Wars series for its streaming service, CEO Bob Iger said during an earnings call on Tuesday — Disney CEO Bob Iger tells investors that the company is close to revealing at least one of the producing teams behind one of the projects.
Discussion:
Slate, StarWars.com, The Playlist, Tubefilter, Fast Company, Vanity Fair, @americanstnick, Deadline, /Film, TechCrunch, Press Association, CinemaBlend, The A.V. Club, io9, Recode, CNBC and Variety
Washington Post:
Executives at The Newseum plan to meet with a real estate firm Thursday to explore options including selling its building in Washington, DC, or moving locations — Two months shy of its 10th anniversary in a glass-and-steel showpiece on Washington's most prestigious thoroughfare …
Local News Lab:
Democracy Fund announces two new funds in NJ and NC totaling $2M to support local news ecosystems and seek long-term solutions for public-interest news — Democracy Fund establishes two new local funds — Local news is critical to a healthy democracy, and we believe that the future of local news is local.
Discussion:
@democracyfund, @melaniesill, @jcstearns and @jcstearns
Anna Washenko / RAIN News:
RadioPublic launches Paid Listens, guarantees participating podcasters $20 CPM for every listen via its iOS and Android apps — Podcast company RadioPublic has adopted a new service for show creators to get paid for their work. The approach is designed for podcasts that don't have the scale …
Discussion:
RadioPublic, @evoterra, @mattervc and Fast Company
Jane Lytvynenko / BuzzFeed:
A look at 29 Facebook pages and sites of fake news publishers, which are using Instant Articles to help completely false stories load faster and earn revenue — While some mainstream publishers are abandoning Facebook's Instant Articles, fake news sites based overseas are taking advantage of the format …
Discussion:
@profcarroll, @firstdraftnews, @janelytv, @niemanlab, @craigsilverman and @craigsilverman
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Snapchat says it generated $100M in revenue for Discover's publishing partners in 2017, up from $58M in 2016 and $10M in 2015 — Snapchat says it generated $100 million in revenue for content partners on Discover in 2017, up from $58 million in 2016 and $10 million in 2015.
Discussion:
Recode, Wall Street Journal and @matildegiglio
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
Snapchat is launching to tool to let TV networks pipe snippets of live broadcasts directly into the app, starting this Saturday with NBC's Olympics coverage
Snapchat is launching to tool to let TV networks pipe snippets of live broadcasts directly into the app, starting this Saturday with NBC's Olympics coverage
Discussion:
Ad Age, TechCrunch, Business Insider, The Next Web, @ctrlzee, @mathewi, @georgia_wells, @kerrymflynn, AppAdvice.com, 9to5Mac and Bloomberg, more at Techmeme »
Wall Street Journal:
Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian steps down from daily duties at the company to focus on early stage VC firm he cofounded and personal life, will remain on board — Reddit Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian announced on Wednesday he will step down from daily duties at the internet company and focus …
Christine Wang / CNBC:
21st Century Fox beats Q2 targets with $8B in revenue, up 5% YoY, as higher affiliate, syndication, and ad revenue boost cable revenue, up 11% YoY — Twenty-First Century Fox reported earnings and revenue that topped Wall Street expectations on Wednesday. — The stock edged slightly higher in extended trading.
Discussion:
Variety, Broadcasting & Cable, Ad Age, @edmundlee, /Film, Hollywood Reporter and 21st Century Fox
Adi Robertson / The Verge:
Reddit bans r/deepfakes, which was devoted to making AI-powered porn using celebrities' faces, and updates site-wide rules regarding “involuntary pornography” — Reddit has banned the r/deepfakes subreddit that's devoted to making AI-powered porn using celebrities' faces …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Daily Mail, Vox, Mashable, Engadget, New York Magazine, Motherboard and reddit, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
Samantha Cole / Motherboard:
Pornhub says it's banning AI-generated fake porn videos because they're “nonconsensual”, yet such “deepfake” videos are still available via site search results
Pornhub says it's banning AI-generated fake porn videos because they're “nonconsensual”, yet such “deepfake” videos are still available via site search results
Discussion:
The Verge, Engadget, The Guardian, Engadget, Mashable, Fast Company, Trusted Reviews, The Next Web, The Daily Dot and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Associated Press:
Four prominent Venezuelan journalists leave country after being sued over an article alleging irregularities in food sales to President Maduro's administration — https://www.apnews.com/123b18463c434094 a12e381028bd8608 — CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Four prominent Venezuelan journalists …